DC Open: Everything you need to know about star-studded tennis tournament

The road to the U.S. Open begins this weekend in Washington.

The Mubadala Citi DC Open will return to the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, a 7,500-seat facility in the Northwest section of Washington that is also the permanent home of the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation.

Here is what you need to know about the tournament that opens Saturday and ends on Sunday, July 27.

What is the Mubadala Citi DC Open?

The tournament was co-founded by John A. Harris, Donald Dell, founder of ProServ International, and Arthur Ashe, Hall of Famer and five-time Grand Slam champion in singles and doubles.

What was once known as the Washington Open on the men’s side was first held in 1969, and the tournament was expanded to include women in 2011. The event was held on clay courts until 1986, when the surface was switched to hard courts.

Andre Agassi owns the record for most DC Open crowns with five (1990, 1991, 1995, 1998 and 1999). Past champions include Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Andy Roddick, and Venus and Serena Williams.

What is the DC Open schedule?

Details on matches for qualifying weekend and the main draw were not yet known. Qualifying weekend takes place this Saturday and Sunday, and the main draw starts Monday and runs through Sunday, July 27.

The gates at Rock Creek Tennis Center will open to fans at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. Friday through Sunday, July 27. Fans who have tickets to matches later on Friday and Saturday will be asked to enter at 4 p.m.

All ticket sales are final, and there are no refunds or exchanges if inclement weather moves into the area and impacts matches.

For those who can’t attend matches in-person, the DC Open will be broadcast on the Tennis Channel and TC Plus.

Where is the DC Open?

The Rock Creek Park Tennis Center is located at 5220 16th Street NW in Washington. The North Covered Box Seats, Stadium Pavilion and Hospitality Suites are the only covered sections inside Stadium Court.

Parking is available, but limited for fans who do not have a parking pass. The closest Metro station to the center is the Van Ness-UDC stop on the Red Line, which is about a five-minute walk away from the tennis venue. Fans are encouraged to access shuttle service from several designated parking lots.

Only clear bags not exceeding 12 inches by 12 inches by 6 inches, handbags not exceeding 8 inches by 5 inches by 1 inch, and fanny packs not exceeding 8 inches by 5 inches will be permitted inside the facility. Backpacks are prohibited.

One unopened see-through plastic bottle of water up to 33.5 ounces is allowed per person. If the bottle is not see-through, one empty water container up to 33.5 ounces is admissible. Food and drinks are available for purchase.

Who will play in the DC Open?

Half of the top-10 male players in the world are scheduled to play. That group is headed by No. 4 Taylor Fritz, a finalist in last year’s U.S. Open and a semifinalist in last weekend’s Wimbledon, and includes No. 7 and two-time Grand Slam semifinalist Lorenzo Musetti, No. 8 and three-time major quarterfinalist Holger Rune, No. 9 and two-time Grand Slam semifinalist Ben Shelton, and No. 10 and 10-time major quarterfinalist Andrey Rublev.

The star-studded field also boasts No. 11 and two-time U.S. Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe, who grew up in nearby Hyattsville, No. 12 and five-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist Alex de Minaur, No. 14 and 2021 U.S. Open titlist Daniil Medvedev, No. 16 and 2023 Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul, and No. 17 Jakub Mensik. Tiafoe and Shelton plan to pair up in doubles.

The women’s draw is led by No. 4 and 2024 U.S. Open semifinalist Jessica Pegula, No. 6 and Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng, No. 7 and 2025 Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova, and No. 11 and 2024 U.S. Open semifinalist Emma Navarro.

That side also boasts several Grand Slam champions. Naomi Osaka captured titles at the 2018 and 2020 U.S. Open and the 2019 and 2021 Australian Open, Elena Rybakina won the crown at the 2022 Wimbledon, Emma Raducanu took home the title at the 2021 U.S. Open, and Sofia Kenin collected the crown at the 2020 Australian Open.

A pair of fan favorites are also expected to take the court. Venus Williams, the 45-year-old seven-time major champion, accepted a wildcard and will participate in her first competitive match in 16 months. And Nick Kyrgios, 30, will play in the singles draw and team up with two-time major semifinalist Gaël Monfils in doubles after missing the second half of 2023 and the first 10 months of 2024 because of injuries.

There are five former DC Open champions. They are Sebastian Korda (2024), Daniel Evans (2023), Kyrgios (2019 and 2022), Pegula (2019) and Monfils (2016).

Players with local ties

Francis Tiafoe

The Maryland native returns to his home area with a chance to claim his fourth career singles title. The No. 11 ranked player in the world is coming off a quarterfinals appearance at the French Open, where he lost to Musetti.

Last year, “Big Foe” lost in the semifinals at the D.C. Classic to Sebastian Korda in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. He made his debut at the tournament as a 16-year-old in 2014 when it was known as the Citi Open. The 27-year-old has an emphatic game, which should play well in front of a crowd that figures to be favoring the hometown star.

Tiafoe is 18-15 and has yet to win a title this year. He’s one of the highest seeded players at the tournament, which will result in a favorable draw. The Hyattsville native has made several quarterfinals and semifinals over the years, but has come up short a majority of the time. A win in the nation’s capital could catapult him back into the top 10 for just the second time in his career.

Hailey Baptiste

Baptiste debuted at 17 years old at this tournament and secured perhaps the biggest win of her career, defeating the No. 2 seed and former world No. 7 Madison Keys in the first round in 2019.

A DC native, she grew up just five minutes away from the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Baptiste started playing with the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation, which is the beneficiary of the Citi Open, before training in College Park.

Baptise, who’s coached by Tiafoe’s twin brother Franklin Tiafoe and is close friends with Francis, has never risen into the top 50 of the singles ranking. But in a relatively open field, the 23-year old could play her way into the later rounds next week.

Robin Montgomery

At 21, Montgomery has a 126-82 career record. She joined the top 100 as the No. 95 player in the world in June. She qualified for the 2024 Wimbledon Championships and reached the quarterfinal at the 2024 DC Open ​after defeating Shelby Rogers and receiving a walkover from fourth seed Ons Jabeur.

Montgomery was born in D.C. She trains at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park.

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